Day 8: The Mausoleum of Atatürk & an Underground City

Day 8 took us to Antikbir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. This massive structure is the resting place of the Turks' beloved first president, well known for his war victories and many political, educational, and social reforms. The sheer size of this monument is a testament to the fact that part of being Turkish means holding his name in the highest regard. When visiting Turkey, all political leaders from other countries are required to first make a stop here in order to pay him their respects. This site is not solemn, however, it's more like a museum commemorating the life of Atatürk and his accomplishments, than the location of his tomb. Walking through the large rooms that frame the square pictured below, you get to see such items as his personal shaving kit and hand written letters, which make the whole visit actually quite intimate. 

After our visit at the memorial, we began our bus ride to Cappadocia. Along the way, we stopped to explore the underground city of Kaymakli. I was completely shocked and amazed by how truly large it was. The rooms themselves were small, but there were literally hundreds of them connected by twisting tunnels. I had expected that there would maybe be something like twenty rooms… was I sure mistaken. Moreover, these weren't just random rooms carved out wherever they felt like it; the whole arrangement was unbelievably sophisticated. There was a church, there were cooking areas, sleeping areas, gathering rooms, places to store food and wine, even a ventilation system. There were also rolling stone doors that could be used as extra protection against invaders. It was like being inside an anthill. The place was such an expansive maze it would have been extremely easy to get lost down there. (In fact, I almost did get lost and nearly had a panic attack.) I loved it though because I never even knew places like this existed; it was like something from a fairytale. 

It still boggles my mind that nearly 500 people could survive down there for months at a time if necessary.